title: Electrical sintering of silver nanoparticle ink studied by in-situ TEM probing.
abstract: Metallic nanoparticle inks are used for printed electronics, but to reach acceptable conductivity the structures need to be sintered, usually using a furnace. Recently, sintering by direct resistive heating has been demonstrated. For a microscopic understanding of this Joule heating sintering method, we studied the entire process in real time inside a transmission electron microscope equipped with a movable electrical probe. We found an onset of Joule heating induced sintering and coalescence of nanoparticles at power levels of 0.1-10 mW/μm³. In addition, a carbonization of the organic shells that stabilize the nanoparticles were found, with a conductivity of 4 10⁵ Sm⁻¹.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden. magnus.hummelgard@miun.se
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hummelgård
authors.forename: Renyun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hans-Erik
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olin
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis / Q000379:methods; D004595:Electroplating / Q000379:methods*; D007281:Ink; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010316:Particle Size; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D018030:Silver Compounds; D012834:Silver; D002244:Carbon